High volume assembly of products and vehicles typically employs automated assembly processes. In assembling large products, often industrial, multi-axis programmable robots are used to pick up, manipulate and position large components, for example sheet metal body assembly components, along an assembly line. These processes are also commonly carried out when assembling small devices as well.
In such automated assembly processes, conventional robots are positioned along various positions or assembly stations along an assembly line. Each robot is typically assigned and programmed to grasp a component or components and perform an assembly operation. An example robotic assembly operation may be grasping a sheet metal component from a storage rack, moving the component toward a holding fixture, reorienting or manipulating the component, releasing the component into a specific position in a welding fixture and repeating the process.
Each conventional assembly robot typically must include a tool or device commonly known as an end effector. A conventional end effector is a tool that connects to a robot wrist and receives power and actuating instructions from the robot processor and controller for controlling the timing and movement of the end effector according to the work the robot end effector is designed to accomplish, for example picking up and moving a component as described above. Conventional robotic assembly processes typically required a custom made or dedicated end effector for each robot according to the specific geometry of the component the robot was designed to grasp and manipulate. In a large assembly facility, this typically requires dozens, if not hundreds, of different end effectors which is very costly and time consuming to fabricate, install and maintain.
Additionally, if the assembly line alternates the type or model of products to be assembled, this often required shut down of the line to change many of the robot end effectors to accommodate the different component or assembly process. Alternately, complex and expensive tool changer devices must be used which disengage and set down one end effector and pick up another to accommodate the model assembly change. This changing of end effectors slows production cycle times and reliability of the device and assembly line. Conventional end effectors have been advantageous in high-volume “batch build” systems where high volumes of the same product are produced. These conventional end effectors are disadvantageous to “random build” assembly lines and facilities where several different versions or models of products are frequently interchanged to coincide with orders to meet customer demand.